Iraq and the Bushes

I take issue with Paul Mulshine's claim that "The Bush legacy is tied to Iraq, and both Bushes managed to make a mess of it" ("Bush turns history on its head," May 18). Iraq invaded Kuwait, and President George H.W. Bush put together an international coalition whose stated purpose was to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi control -- no more, no less. When Kuwait was liberated, the international coalition, having obtained its objective, was dissolved. We brought our troops home. The goal was not to topple Saddam Hussein but to liberate Kuwait.
I served as George H.W. Bush's federal maritime administrator and as such was responsible for the merchant shipping support of the coalition's liberation of Kuwait. At no time was the issue of invading Iraq considered. Mulshine should be more factual and separate the elder Bush from the younger Bush rather than lump them together on the issue of Iraq.